Quazy de Joie has to be respected following his improved effort when landing a novices' hurdle at Towcester on Boxing Day but Jonjo O'Neill's gelding may struggle to give weight away all round under his penalty so preference is for BIG EARED FRAN, who gets the vote ahead of Long Hop. The last mentioned looks the pick of Alan King's two runners ahead of Quelclasse, who has disappointed in his last two starts having made an encouraging debut over timber, but he needs to improve on what he showed first time up over hurdles. Venetia Williams has her team in good form but her runner Make Haste has yet to translate flat form to the winter game. Emma Lavelle's Vagrant Emperor ran better when making his hurdling debut at Leicester recently but he needs to improve again to get involved at the finish and a better bet looks to be Big Eared Fran. David Pipe's gelding ran in the Champion Bumper last season and was in the process of making a pleasing start to his hurdling career prior to falling behind Dee Ee Williams on a return visit to Cheltenham in October. Likely to improve for his only start since then in a confidence boosting run at Taunton earlier this month, Big Eared Fran looks the one to be on.
Quazy de Joie (FR) 9-1 (10-7) Led, headed after 2nd, stayed prominent, led again 2 out, ridden out, won at Towcester 2m nh nov hdl (3) gs in Dec beating Chaim (11-1) by 2l, 15 ran.
Big Eared Fran (IRE) 6-1 (11-3) Mid-division, headway to lead 3 out, soon ridden, headed approaching 2 out, mistake last, weakened flat, 4th of 14, 16l behind Chariot Charger (11-9) at Taunton 2m 3f nh nov hdl (3) gs.
Dont Even Ask 22-1 (10-11) Held up, ridden along from 3f out, weakened, 10th of 17, 19l behind Ellen Tilley (10-6) at Huntingdon 2m nhf (5) gs in Dec.
Long Hop (IRE) 6-1 (10-12) Mid-division, ridden approaching 3 out, went modest 4th after last, never a danger, 4th of 15, 18l behind Missoula (10-5) at Fontwell 2m 4f nov hdl (4) gs in Dec.
Make Haste (IRE) 7-1 (11-5) Mid-division until dropped rear 8th, ridden and headway after 3 out, stayed on from next, 6th of 16, 9l behind Cruchain (11-7) at Ascot 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Dec.
Makin A Fuss 11-2 (10-9) Held up in rear, pushed along over 4f out, stayed on final furlong, never dangerous, 4th of 6, 12l behind Another Moment (10-13) at Aintree 2m 1f nhf (6) gd in Jun.
Mongoose Alert (IRE) 33-1 (10-11) Chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, weakened 2f out, 7th of 15, 21l behind Bella Haze (10-7) at Chepstow 2m nhf (6) sft in Dec.
Mooncoin Man (IRE) 100-1 (10-9) Led to 7th, weakened quickly when headed, 9th of 10, well behind Officier De Reserve (10-12) at Warwick 3m 1f nov hdl (4) gs in Nov.
Paddys Honour (IRE) 14-1 (11-6) Mid-division, headway after 7th, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 7th of 14, well behind Chariot Charger (11-9) at Taunton 2m 3f nh nov hdl (3) gs.
Quel Bruere (FR) 25-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, headway approaching 8th, weakened approaching 2 out, 6th of 18, 19l behind Weird Al (10-12) at Warwick 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Nov.
Quelclasse (FR) 7-1 (10-2) Mid-division, headway 7th, ridden and weakened 3 out, 5th of 10, 33l behind Toby Belch (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f nov hdl (4) gf in May.
Vagrant Emperor (IRE) 66-1 (10-9) Held up in rear, not fluent 4th, headway 7th, chased leading pair after 3 out, went 2nd flat, no chance with winner, 2nd of 10, 7l behind Bensalem (11-4) at Leicester 2m 4f nov hdl (3) sft in Dec.
